Best Served Hot
by ThePushThatComesToShove
Summary: Zelloyd. AU. Zelos Wilder is the head of public relations of Regeneration Co., and while he lives in the lap of luxury he hates every moment of it. One day he wanders into a cosy teashop and finds that even the small things can turn your life around. Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

"Alright, I'm off to my lunch break. Don't bother calling me, I won't answer. See you in an hour."

There's a collective murmur of "goodbye, sir" as Zelos gathers the papers in front of him into a stack. He hunts around for a sticky note and a pen, scrawls a few words on it, then labels the papers before he grabs his jacket and leaves.

Down the halls he nods at his underlings, shoots smiles at the ones caught by his charm, but generally avoids conversation with any of them. The meeting he's just left wore on his nerves. There's a reason why he tries his best to stay away from the legal issues; he just doesn't have the time to wrap his head around the intricacies of such matters. Unfortunately for him, his opponent happened to hired a very attractive woman for their attorney, and just as everyone knows, he can't help it when it comes to pretty women.

He rolls his eyes at the thought. The things you do to maintain an image.

He retreats into his office to gather his composure. The room is large, spacious, with minimalist style furniture. His desk is black and sleek, facing away from the large panels of windows that display the bustling city. A few leather chairs line the walls, two potted plants guarding his desk. The redhead is tempted to sit in his huge leather chair, the one by his desk, but he has a feeling he'd end up dozing off instead of getting some food in him.

Lunch. Right. Before he forgets, Zelos grabs his overcoat off the back of his chair and slides it on. He can feel his car keys against his leg as he turns to leave his office. Some food, then it's back to work.

God, he hates his job.

* * *

At the moment, Zelos doesn't feel particularly hungry, but he blames his lack of focus for that. His head is still spinning with numbers and patents and ugh. He walks down the streets at a brisk pace, expertly dodging the people hurrying back to work after their breaks.

Eventually a woman makes her way into his line of sight, her curvaceous body moving in front of him. Despite her wool coat, he can see the round shape of her hips, her petite waist. He can tell himself as much as he'd like that his special interest in women is just for his image, but there is just something about this woman that he can't resist.

It's a bit embarrassing, yes, the way he follows her down the street, all careful glances and measured steps, but he can't help himself.

Soon enough he finds himself in a warm room. The bitter cold of the late autumn has left him alone for the time being, replaced by rich aromas of food and tea. The woman continues to walk ahead of him, going to the counter in the far back. She greets what he assumes is her coworkers, then disappears into a back room.

The scents revolving around his head bring his mind to focus. He's out here for lunch, yes. And it looks like he might be able to get some here.

"Hey, welcome to the Fujibayashi Tea House," says a warm voice, "Will you be eating alone today?"

To Zelos' disappointment, the woman from earlier is absent. Instead, a young man is standing in front of him. The redhead gives him a quick once-over, taking note of his unruly brown hair and friendly eyes. The server couldn't be older than Zelos, as the redhead was at a fine age of 28.

"Yeah, guess so," he replies with a wry smile, "What do you guys serve here? Besides tea, of course."

"Well, the lunch menu doesn't have as much as the dinner menu," the waiter states as he leads Zelos to a small table by the window, "But our pastries are pretty popular. If you're looking for something that'll fill you up, I'd suggest a rice bowl or maybe some soup."

"Asian theme, huh?" Zelos says it a bit absently, observing his surroundings. The walls are separated into off-white panels outlined with a dark wood. There are several paintings hanging, tasteful still lifes and a few landscapes. The lighting isn't too bright, and it suits the gray fall day well.

"It matches the name," he says with a slight laugh, "Though we try not to overdo it. Here's your menu, I'll give you some time to have a look."

When he hands Zelos the menu, the redhead takes the opportunity to examine his face again. His gaze lingers on the waiter's eyes, feeling pulled in by their leveled stare.

"I'm Lloyd, by the way," he adds, "Take your time, alright?"

With one last smile, he turns around and walks off. Zelos watches his back, watches him tend to another table with the same animated enthusiasm, before turning to look at his menu.

His eyes skim the page and he decides to get a lunch box. With that out of the way, he peers over the top of the menu and looks around the restaurant again. Firstly, his eyes shoot to the back corner where he saw the woman from earlier disappear to. Just as he looks, she slips out of a door, head down as she ties an apron behind her back. She is absolutely stunning, and the thought makes several rounds in Zelos' head as she looks up to scan the room. Her eyes are bright and cutely curved, her lips round and a lovely shade of pink. Her hair falls in messy strands that frame her face, the dark locks held up in a loose ponytail.

Zelos wonders about her name as Lloyd returns to his table.

"You know what, I forgot to ask you if you'd like anything to drink!" he says, a sheepish note to his cheer.

It takes Zelos a moment to look up. "Ah, yeah. Water should be fine."

"No tea, sir?"

"Hmm." Zelos fights back the urge to return his eyes to the woman. "Sure, that too."

"Alright. Have you decided on anything to eat, then?"

"Yeah, I'll have lunchbox A," he tells the waiter absently, "Hey, could you tell me her name?" The redhead tips his head in the woman's direction.

"Who?" Lloyd turns and searches the room, trying to follow Zelos' line of sight. There aren't any other servers on the floor, though another woman stands behind the counter, fiddling with the cash register. "Sheena?"

"The one with the ponytail," Zelos clarifies, "The very voluptuous hunny over there."

Lloyd returns his gaze to Zelos', though this time he catches Zelos' attention right away. "Yep, that's Sheena. Have you seen her before?"

The redhead shakes his head. "I saw her come in. That's how I ended up here, anyway."

"Right." Lloyd grins. "I can send her over here, if you want."

With a laugh, Zelos shakes his head. "No, no, don't bother. I need some time to think of how to approach her."

"Well, if you say so. She's really nice, even if she doesn't always like to think of herself that way." Lloyd scribbles something onto a notepad. "Good luck. I'll be over with your lunch as soon as possible."

Zelos simply nods. Lloyd moves away, touching Sheena's arm as he passes. She glances up at him and gives him a tired smile.  
As he sits and waits for his food, Zelos' mind starts to wander. There's something very homey about this place, he thinks. Very comfy, cozy. He doesn't have to think about work here, or his image, or his sister, or every little thing that nags him and urges him to at least try and seem to be a worth while person. It's calming, and while it's a thought that's almost unsettling, he can't seem to wrap his head around the idea entirely.

That woman, god, that woman. There's something so irresistable about her. Though she's probably heard it more than enough times. Is he even good enough for her? Probably not, he thinks. With a sigh, he lowers his eyes to his folded hands sitting idly on the table. At the very least, it's nice to observe her.

Soon enough, Lloyd returns with his drinks. "The lunchbox will be ready soon, sir," he says, then turns to leave.

As the waiter moves, another server comes onto the floor. Well, it's more accurate to say that she slips and falls onto the floor, sending a few dishes into the air.

"Colette!" Lloyd exclaims before he rushes to the woman's side.

The other server's long, blond hair fans around her as she picks herself off the ground. She looks young, slightly younger than Lloyd, but her eyes are frantic and apologetic. Eventually those eyes meet Zelos' and the woman starts to blush, quickly averting her eyes.

Ah. She recognizes him, it seems. Of course, this place was too good to be true. One person can't be too bad though, right?  
He watches as Lloyd helps the woman onto her feet. Sheena comes to her aid as well, wielding a small vacuum cleaner. When she bends to clean the mess, she bends her knees, folding into a crouch. Smart woman, he thinks, though Zelos would be lying if he said that he's not disappointed by her modesty.

The hubbub clears away after a few moments and Zelos begins to zone out again. He begins to calculate the hours of sleep he should be able to get that night when Lloyd approaches his table. Firstly, the brunet sets Zelos' food down, but once that's out of the way, it becomes apparent that the waiter isn't through with Zelos quite yet.

"I knew you looked familiar," Lloyd says with a wide grin, "You're Zelos Wilder! It's pretty exciting to see the owner of Regeneration Co. in our little tea shop. Did Regal tell you about us?"

At the sound of his name, a few of the other patrons look their way. Zelos puts on his business smile, though he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Don't think too much of it, bud," the redhead says, and while his tone and smile is warm, his eyes don't quite match up. "Like I said, I came in here because of her." Again, he tilts his head towards the curvaceous waitress.

Lloyd chuckles. "Of course, of course. I dunno if she'll fall for your pretty boy charm, though. She's not really the kind of girl who appreciates a sweet talker."

Zelos rolls his eyes, though he ducks his head to hide it. "Right, thanks for the tip."

He feels Lloyd's studious gaze on him. After a few moments, Lloyd nods and gives a little bow. "Yeah. Enjoy your meal, sir."

The redhead heaves a tired sigh, then looks down at his food. Hopefully he can just inhale it and go. He glances at his watch. Twenty minutes of his lunch break left to go. He picks up his chopsticks and takes a bite. It's very good, much more than he initially expected; the food disappears in moments.

As he sips at his tea, Sheena approaches his table, a slight blush on her face. Zelos wants to melt at the sight of it.

"H-Hello, sir," she says, then gives a bow, "Thank you for giving our humble tea shop a visit. I hope the food was satisfactory."  
"It was actually fantastic, thank you," Zelos replies with an easy smile. The waitress blushes a deeper shade of red. "It definitely helps that such a cute waitress is here to cater to my needs."

Sheena starts to splutter, her cheeks a vibrant shade of red. "E-Excuse me?"

The redhead leans onto the table, sliding closer to her. "I'm sure you hear that more often than you'd like, but you're just so gorgeous. How did such a lovely hunny end up serving me, little ol' Zelos?"

"I-I'm not-! I-" she clenches her eyes shut and vigorously shakes her head. "Nothing more than a coincidence, I'm sure!" Without opening her eyes, she gives him another bow. "Th-Thank you again, sir, for coming. I'm gonna get the bill now."

As she turns to leave, she takes her empty platter and puts it behind her back, covering her round rear. She scuttles off to hide behind the counter, inputting numbers into the cash register.

Zelos' smile dies down to a slight curve to his mouth. She really is cute. But probably too good for him, as most people are. It's a shame, he thinks, especially since the food here is truly very good, but he can't imagine coming back here and sitting through the torture of not having her.

Lloyd comes back with the bill and a smile. Zelos pays and gives a generous tip, earning him a wide eyed look from the waiter. The redhead merely gives him a nod before going on his way.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry if that started out a bit blandly. Hopefully the next chapters will be more engaging! Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

Blinking the exhaustion from his eyes, Zelos finally closes his laptop. Moonlight filters in through the window behind him, illuminating the stacks of papers on his desk. He plants his elbows on his desk and drops his head into his hands.

Why hasn't he quit yet? He doesn't owe this job to anyone, not even dead daddy dearest. Why should he care if the whole thing collapses without him as their stupid poster boy? Why does he bother with planning all of these useless public events, gathering sponsors and big name "friends" and favors from people he doesn't give a shit about?

It's in these hours of the night, cooped up in his office, that Zelos' mind starts to race circles around itself. He thinks of his mother, her disapproving eyes, and his sister, the lovely girl who only seemed to have room to hate him now. And, while questions are still being asked, why not hate him? Why not hate this greedy, womanizing, selfish piece of shit?

Zelos runs a hand over his face. If he doesn't move now, he'll end up falling asleep at his desk.

Once he's on the street, Zelos isn't sure where to go. Back to his empty flat, where the endless space seems to close in on him? Doesn't seem very appealing.

A strange, vague feeling of homesickness strikes him. He needs to be in a warm atmosphere, and there's only one place that he can think of that might be able to offer him such an escape.

* * *

It's only when he arrives at the door of the Fujibayashi tea house that he realizes that it's much past what most people consider to be dinner time. However, he's lucky enough to find that the shop is still open.

As he enters, he feels all eyes in the room turn to him. It's not an unfamiliar feeling, and he merely shrugs it off.

There are less than ten people in the room. A couple sits near the window, Lloyd and Colette sitting on their table. A group of three friends sit a few tables down, and soon enough they return to their chatting, seeming to have forgotten about the redhead for now.

From the back, Sheena emerges from the door. Her apron is missing and her hair is even messier than it was the last time that Zelos saw her. He draws himself up into a more presentable posture, putting on one of his most charming smiles.

Sheena ducks her head as she approaches him. When she looks up again, she's wearing an embarrassed smile.

"Mr Wilder! It's nice to see you again," she says, coming to a stop a few feet away from him. She glances to the side, exchanges a look with Lloyd, before continuing, "Will you be eating alone tonight, or...?"

"I'm afraid I'm by my poor old lonesome," Zelos replies, dropping his shoulders a bit, "Though I wouldn't mind the company of a lovely-"

"Why don't you sit with us, then?" Lloyd interrupts.

Both Sheena and Zelos turn to look at him. A blush starts to creep up the waitress' neck as she all but storms over to him. She whispers heatedly at him, pulling roughly at his arm.

Zelos allows himself a small chuckle. "Sure, I think I can manage that."

Everyone around the table but Lloyd looks up at the redhead with wide eyes. Lloyd simply smiles and hops down from his seat.  
"Great! I'll just move this table over so we have enough room," he says, then proceeds to do so.

The wall by the window is lined by a bench. Lloyd moves a small table for two over to merge with theirs, as well as two chairs. Colette settles into one of the chairs while Lloyd takes a spot on the bench. Of course, Zelos is left at the head of the table.

Oh well. Nothing new.

"I'm gonna check on the food," Sheena states, slowly inching away from their table. She turns to Zelos. "We're all having some sushi and udon noodles. I can get some more of that if you want, or you can have a look at our menu."

Zelos waves a dismissive hand. "Just get me whatever tastes good. I trust you'll treat me well, hunny."

She nods and scurries away.

As Zelos takes his seat, he feels curious eyes rake over him. He resists the urge to clear his throat.

"You look beat," Lloyd comments, "Tough day?"

The redhead lets out a laugh, but it holds so little mirth that even he has to suppress a cringe. "Yeah, you could say that. Had to smooth down a few problems with a friend of mine, guy has had it out for me for a while. Doesn't like how I handle myself, you know."

"Well, he doesn't really sound like much of a friend," Colette pipes in, frowning.

Zelos smiles wryly. "Yeah, I guess not."

"Lloyd, aren't you going to introduce us?"

One half of the couple sitting at the table pouts, crossing his arms over his chest. He looks young, fresh out of high school. His date - at least, from what Zelos can guess - looks a few years older than him. Maybe they go to school together.

"Oh, right." The brunet chuckles and waves over to his friend. "This is Genis Sage, pretty much the genius of the group, and this is Presea Combatir, his cute doll of a girlfriend."

Genis squawks and smacks Lloyd's arm, shouting his name. Presea merely smiles and gives Zelos a nod of acknowledgement.

"You really are cute," Zelos says, his voice dripping with honey, "And you remind me of a porcelain doll."

The smile on Presea's face becomes wry as she closes her eyes and shakes her head. "I'm sure that I do."

"You don't know how many times she's heard that one," Genis supplies, rolling his eyes.

"It's true though," Lloyd comments, tilting his head. He leans his weight onto his elbow. "Her skin is really pale and her calm expression really reminds me of dolls."

Genis snorts. "Whatever. She's, you know, really p-pretty whichever way you put it."

"Excuse me, hot food coming through!" Sheena announces, drawing everyone's attention. Both Colette and Lloyd stand up and move in to assist the curvaceous woman, grabbing a dish each.

The platter Sheena places on the table contains bowls of steaming soup, a stack of plates, and several pairs of chop sticks. Lloyd puts an array of sushi next to it, while Colette places a heaping plate of stir fried noodles.

"I'll be right back, I need to get the tea," Sheena says quickly, turning on her heel.

"I'll help!" Colette adds, trailing behind her.

Zelos looks up at Lloyd and smirks. The waiter's mouth is watering, his back straight and arms poised to attack. Beside him, his smaller companion is almost an exact mirror. However, Genis pauses to push his light blond hair out of his face, ruining the image.

From across the table, Zelos can feel a peculiar stare on him. Presea gazes at him with a blank face, her eyes an icy blue. Ultimately, the unfriendly expression is ruined with that half-smile from earlier, the twitch of her lips both amused and critical at the same time. Zelos grins back at her.

"I-I'm so hungry," Lloyd murmurs.

Genis nods. "M-Me too..."

Their faces light up the instant Sheena and Colette return. Sheena rolls her eyes as she distributes the tea while Colette reclaims her seat across from Lloyd.

"Alright, eat up," Sheena says, exhaling as she sits down. The only seat remaining is the one across from Zelos, and once she looks up, he puts on his best smile. The flush that decorates her face warms Zelos to the core.

The two boys attack the food with great fervor. Zelos sits back and takes his time, avoiding their destructive path, quietly observing. It's been a while since he's spent this much time with commoners. The experience is more relaxing than he would have guessed.

"Hey, Genis, you still getting your lunch money taken by bullies?"

"What? No!"

"Don't get upset, geez! I guess that means Presea's been covering your ass."

"W-Well, no one messes with my Presea, y'know?!"

"I definitely wouldn't mess with her."

"I do not understand why people find me threatening."

"Yes, I think you're adorable!"

"Ah, thank you... Colette..."

"Hot! Hot, hot, hot!"

"Geez, here, drink this!"

"Thanks, Sheena. Phew!"

"And he's right back into the noodles..."

"That's Lloyd!"

Laughter erupts around the table. Once it dies down, the table slowly turns its gaze to Zelos. The redhead cocks his head to the side, smiling.

"Yes?" he asks as he sets down his chopsticks.

Lloyd grins at him. "You've been pretty quiet!"

"Too busy enjoying the food, I guess." Smiling, he puts his head in his hands. "Go on, it's alright."

Colette leans forward so she can look him in the eye. "No, no, we want to talk to you too!"

With a chuckle, Zelos leans back in his seat and puts his hands behind his head. "I don't even know where to begin, there's just so much to say..."

"Why did you choose to come here tonight?" Sheena asks, the tone of her voice timid compared to her loud yet friendly companions.

Zelos stills, then purses his lips in thought. "Sometimes it's nice to visit the little people, you know?"

"Wow, _thanks_, Mr. Wilder." Genis rolls his eyes.

"Hey, watch it," Zelos scowls, "But, since we're on the topic, feel free to call me Zelos, or even the great Zelos if you're feeling bold, I'll accept either one since you've all been so kind to me."

Smiling, Colette claps her hands gently. "The great Zelos! Do people call you that often?"

"Sometimes, sometimes." The redhead grins. "There is a very specific time when the ladies call me that, I'm sure I can give you the same opportunity, my cute Colette."

"Really? When is that?"

"Wow, did that just happen...?" Genis asks no one in particular.

"I don't think that's very appropriate," Sheena adds, withering in her seat.

"I think... Regal mentioned something about Zelos once before," Presea says, exchanging glances with Genis and Sheena, "He said that he is famous for his... way with women."

"I-I see..." Sheena's face colors with a faint flush. Her eyebrows tighten as she looks up at Zelos from across the table. "Zelos."

"Hmm?" A wide smile spreads across Zelos' face. He leans over, placing an elbow on the table. "What is it, my voluptuous hunny?"

Her breath catches in her throat in a strangled, surprised sound. "What- What did you just call me?"

"My cute, voluptuous hunny," Zelos repeats, "It's my new nickname for you. Colette can be my cute angel, and Presea can be my delicate doll."

Sheena's mouth twitches. "Ugh. Talk about laying it on thick!"

"Hunny, I can show you something else that's thi-"

"Don't," Genis cuts in, putting a hand on the table. "Go. There."

The redhead bursts into laughter, clutching at his stomach. "I'm sorry, you're right. I shouldn't make a pass at a taken woman." Eyes bright, Zelos turns to Presea and says, "You can just be Presea, then. My apologies."

"Apology accepted," Presea replies with a smile. She places a hand on Genis' outstretched one and slowly draws it back to her side.

"I have no idea what's going on here," Lloyd states with a sigh, his head in his hands, "Should I be worried?"

"Don't bother," Sheena tells him. She pats his shoulder. "He's just a bigger idiot than I imagined."

"Worse than me?"

"Much worse."

Zelos' smile twists slightly. "I appreciate the love in this room, really. Warms my heart right up."

Lloyd aims a bright grin at him. "That's great! You know, you're welcome to come hang out with us here."

"Yeah!" Colette chimes in, nodding her head. "You can tell your friends all about us, Zelos," she adds with a smile.

"Oh, god," Genis groans, "What'll happen when he meets Raine?"

Sheena smiles wryly. "Maybe she can beat some sense into him..."

"I'll make sure to drop a word down at the office." Zelos' mouth sets into a slanted smile. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Thanks for dinner, guys. It was quaint."

"Zelos, wait," Sheena interjects. She starts to stand. "You don't have to! This is just dinner with friends, it's on the house."

"No, no, I insist." The redhead removes some bills from his wallet and folds them up in his hands. "Besides, what kind of gentleman would I be if I let you pay for dinner?"

Standing, Zelos slips the money under a napkin. "See you around, guys."

A bell jingles as Zelos opens the door. He lingers long enough to hear a collective gasp of surprise from the table, then smirks to himself as he walks away.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sir...?"

Zelos turns away from inspecting the frost on his window to find a cowering man in a grey suit in his door. Smiling, the redhead moves to lean against the window.

"How may I help you?"

The man fidgets with his fingers. "There, ah, appears to be a large group of women standing outside of the main entrance, and another by the west entrance. They seem to be getting restless, sir, and the lunch rush hour isn't helping any."

"Hmm."

Zelos turns back to the window to get a look. He presses his hands against the glass to steady himself as he leans closer. Ah, there it is. One of the women manages to spot him and point in the direction of the large window. The rest of the crowd bubbles and seems to come towards his side of the building.

"Yikes."

"Uh, yes, yikes indeed, sir," the visitor mumbles, shifting from foot to foot, "Are you planning on doing anything about it, sir?"

With a long suffering sigh, Zelos steps away from the window. He picks up his overcoat from the back of his chair and approaches the man in the suit, whose perspiration seemed to increase with the proximity.

"I guess I have to, don't I?" He smiles and pats the man's shoulder. "Don't sweat it."

The underling looks as if he were about to collapse as Zelos side steps him and heads towards the exit.

Zelos makes it a rule to avoid addressing his fangirls directly of often as he can. It will be difficult to evade them this time, it seems. As he steps out of the main entrance, he waves to the crowd, attracting their attention. He slips a hand into his pocket and grabs his phone, sliding it unlocked before holding down a button.

With every step he takes, the group behind him grows bigger, attracting the women from the west entrance as well. The noise they emit is immense, a buzzing cacophony of countless voices concentrated in a relatively small space.

Sweat beads on his forehead as he picks up the pace. Sebastian, where are you...

He thumbs the screen of his phone in his pocket. If he takes any longer, he'll have to send the signal again.

Soon enough, a sleek, black cars pulls up next to him. Zelos skips to it and opens the door as quickly as he can. With one last smile and wave to the crowd, he clambers desperately into the backseat.

"I apologize about the wait, Master Zelos," his driver says as he closes the door, "I was already running another errand of yours."

"Ah, right, the street clothes. Gotcha." They happen to be in the seat beside him, several shopping bags piled together. He rummages through them and pulls out a suitable outfit. "Thanks. Care to drop me off at the tea shop, then?"

"Of course, Master Zelos."

* * *

It's not a thing he likes to do often, but Zelos manages to change in the back seat of his car into some street clothes. They are definitely more comfortable than his office clothes - which weren't really office clothes in the first place, but that's another story - and they allow him to avoid being recognized right away.

As he steps out of the car, he almost bumps into a woman with very light blonde hair.

"Ah, my apologies," she says, taking a step away from him. Although she's quick about it, Zelos notices her eyes sweep over his person. "Mr. Wilder, I assume?"

"I see that you've heard of me. Unfortunately, I don't have the pleasure of knowing your name, but I'm sure that can be remedied soon enough," Zelos replies with a wide smile.

The woman is very pale, slender, and beautiful, like all of his "hunnies" are. Her navy suit and briefcase tells him that she takes her job very seriously, and her practical wedge heels tell him that she works long hours. However, the main tell is the smudges on her hands - red and black ink from handling paperwork. That, mixed with her authortative aura, screams teacher to Zelos.

"Professor Raine Sage." She holds out a hand. "It's about time that I finally meet you, Zelos."

"Ah, so you must be Genis' big sister. I've heard a lot about you."

"Is that so?"

Together, they head towards the tea shop. Zelos opens the door for her and earns a nod of thanks. The room is bustling with activity, a flurry of aromas mixing and mingling in the air accompanied by chattering voices and the scrape of easting utensils.

Raine takes the table by the window, the one Lloyd's group of friends usually occupy. Zelos slides onto the bench in front of her.

"They've been mostly good things, don't worry," Zelos states, watching her settle her things down. He slides his overcoat off with ease.

She snorts. "Mostly? I see."

Despite her unimpressed tone, she wears a small smile. With a wave, she flags down one of the waiters. Lloyd appears with a grin and a notebook.

"Hey, Professor! How's it going?" The brunet pulls a pencil out from behind his ear. "Been a while since you've been down here."

"Yes, I know. I've been meaning to drop by for a while, it's just now that I've managed to find some time," she replies, her smile mellowing out.

"The usual, then?"

The professor nods. Her hand twitches on the table, and Lloyd picks up the signal and takes it into one of his hands, squeezing it.

"We've missed you," he says earnestly, "You'll be able to swing by more once winter break hits, right?"

"That's the plan," she replies. For a brief moment, her eyes flicker to Zelos. "Apparently things have been said about me that aren't to be considered "good"?"

Lloyd chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Come on, Professor, you know we're just a bunch of knuckle heads compared to you."

When Lloyd aims his bright smile at Zelos, the redhead feels momentarily stunned. "And how have you been, oh Zelos the great? Saw you on TV the other day, Colette was- oh, hey! You're wearing something different today."

Zelos takes a moment to catch up on Lloyd's train of thought. He returns the smile, albeit with a much more subdued version. "Yeah, after a TV appearance the hunnies tend to get really excited. I decided I'd try to stay on the down-low with something like a disguise."

"You still look like a pretentious jerk, you know."

Rolling his eyes, Zelos sits back. "You gonna take my order or what?"

The waiter gives him an exaggerated bow. "Of course, Mr. Wilder. What will it be today?"

* * *

Zelos' back is against the window as he sips his tea, his lunch finished and set to the side for Lloyd to pick up later. Raine has been quiet company, though Zelos hasn't found it awkward. Her maternal attitude towards Lloyd, and just in general, comforts him and unnerves him at the same time. The women in his life aren't supposed to fall into the role of maternal... He doesn't need that influence.

Exhaling a quiet breath, Raine sets down her tea cup. "To be honest, I was expecting more from you. Am I out of our preferred age range?"

"Oh, no, of course not," Zelos replies, trying to crack a smile, "Hunny, you are absolutely stunning, simply gorgeous."

"But?"

Zelos averts his gaze. "You don't like to beat around the bush, do you?"

Raine smiles. "I'm not known for that, no."

"Would it help if I said that you're also exquisite, almost to the point of being out of my league? I would love to make sweet memories with you, my cool beauty-"

"And again, we return to the "but"." The smile on her face grows a fraction. "However, I'll respect your boundaries, a discipline you dance around quite intricately."

The redhead quirks a brow. "You're rather knowledgeable, aren't you?"

"That's why they call me professor," she replies. A quiet musical tone interrupts her speech. "Ah, excuse me."

As she pulls out her phone to answer it, Zelos looks up to find Sheena entering the shop. She begins to pull off her jacket as she looks around. When her eyes land on their table, her face lights up and she moves to approach them.

The waitress stops when she sees that Raine is on the phone, then moves to sit in the space on the bench beside Zelos. Her eyes sweep up and down his person, and Zelos feels oddly exposed.

"You look different." Pausing her speech, she reaches into her pocket. "Here," she says, handing him a hair tie, "Goes well with your little get up."

"...Thanks." Zelos accepts the accessory and puts up his hair in a ponytail. "What do you think, this or a bun?"

Sheena leans back and examines him. "I think this looks fine."

"Hello, Sheena," the professor says once she puts away her phone, "It's nice to see you again."

"Professor!" Sheena leans across the table to take Raine's hands into her own. "You look like you're doing well. Finals are coming up, aren't they?"

"Yes, I've had a lot of marking to do, but I feel like I've been neglecting you all for far too long." She squeezes Sheena's hands. "That was Genis on the phone. He and Presea are going to drop by before I leave."

"The kid's lucky, though, he gets to live with you."

"Well, it's not like either of us are home at the same time very often."

"Where is it that you teach, professor?" Zelos asks.

As the three engage in small talk, Lloyd comes by and cleans up their table. Eventually he moves to join them, but Sheena stands.

"I have to get some work done, sorry," she says to Raine, giving a small bow, "I'll be sure to come back once Genis and Presea get here." Quirking a brow, she turns to Zelos. "Besides, I don't really want to give up my personal space to this idiot."

"Ouch."

"If you're not taking it personally, you should," she adds, grinning, "See you in a bit!"

Lloyd chuckles as he slides onto the booth next to Zelos. He does a double take and gestures to the space above his wild hair.

"Well, don't you look different," he comments, leaning an elbow on the table, "I almost thought you were a girl."

The redhead puts his hands together and bats his eyelashes. "Like what you see, hunny?"

Rolling his eyes, Lloyd gives Zelos' shoulder a shove. "You're such an ass."

"I'm hurt, Lloyd, deeply hurt."

"What does my opinion matter, anyway? It's not like I actually am one of your "hunnies" or whatever."

"You can be, if you want!" Zelos grins widely. "My honorary male hunny. I'm sure even the men can't resist me, but you get the special title of hunny."

"Zelos-"

"Alright, then, it's settled!" Zelos nearly jumps out of his seat.

Raine sighs, regarding Lloyd with a wry smile. "I think you've been given priority over me, Lloyd."

The brunet crosses his arms over his chest. "I think he's making fun of me."

"I think you're both acting like I'm not here!"

The bell above the front door rings, and all of the table's occupants look up simultaneously. Their expected visitor takes a step back in surprise, then cracks a nervous smile.

"Hey," he greets, leading his girlfriend in slowly, "Guess I'm late to the party."


	4. Chapter 4

Tonight, Zelos doesn't even bother changing into street clothes. He does, however, tie his hair into a messy bun; he can't handle dealing with the long, wavy strands, not tonight. As it is, he knows he doesn't need something as trivial as hair to add to his ever-growing stress.

Sebastian waits for him in the parking lot, patient and steady as usual. He opens the door for the redhead, then starts the car wordlessly. A single glance out the window allows Zelos to confirm that his destination is, indeed, the tea house.

As Sebastian makes a move to open the door, Zelos mutters a sound of protest. He gives his driver a pat on the shoulder before clambering out of the car.

Once he rights himself on his feet, he sees Lloyd, Sheena, and Colette at the entrance of the tea shop. Sheena finishes up locking the door and turns to her friends. With an apologetic smile, she gives them a small bow and heads down the street. Colette soon follows suit, albeit with a wave rather than a bow.

Lloyd spins on his heel and begins to walk in Zelos' direction. When he lays eyes on the redhead, his face lights up in a smile.

"Hey!" He greets, his voice echoing in the empty street.

Zelos suppresses a flinch and attempts to smile back.

The waiter stops a few steps away from Zelos and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry about that. Some of Sheena's cousins from Japan made a surprise visit today, so they had to close up early. She has a really big family! I mean, at least I think so. Maybe not all of them are actually related..."

With a sigh, Zelos puts a hand on his stomach. "Man, that sucks. I'm starving..."

"So am I. Come on, let's get dinner, I know a great place!" Lloyd grins at him and nudges him with an elbow. "Let's go!"

"You're expecting me to pay, aren't you?"

"Well, if I'm gonna be your honorary hunny, you better start treating me like it!"

"Ooh, when did you get so smart!"

Lloyd gives Zelos a shove.

* * *

They traverse the unruly, downtown streets, though they avoid the clubs and bars that Zelos is more closely acquainted with. The confined spaces, the numerous houses and apartment buildings indicate that the university must be nearby and that they're near the students' district; a much cozier environment than Zelos would have expected from downtown.

Lloyd leads them into a small diner. It's dimly lit, quiet, and a warm refuge from the biting cold of the late autumn air. Like the tea shop, it holds a quality that's very homey, and the lack of people only draws him in further.

After doing a quick scan of the room, Lloyd grabs onto Zelos' wrist and leads him to a booth in the corner of the restaurant. On the way, he takes two menus with him to the table.

"We don't have to wait to be seated?" Zelos asks, letting his companion drag him along.

Lloyd shakes his head. "They know me. Besides, it's not busy, so it's all good."

He passes the redhead a menu. They sit together in silence, poring over the list of food. Zelos is up for anything, really; he just hopes that the food doesn't taste cheap.

A waitress approaches their table and exchanges a few pleasantries with Lloyd. When she turns to Zelos, he aims one of his most charming smiles at her, drawing a flush to her face.

"H-Hello, sir," she squeaks. The color in her cheeks deepens as she clears her throat. "Ah, my apologies. I feel so honored to have you here, M-Mr. Wilder. How can I help you tonight?"

He lets his eyes roam over her body at a leisurely pace. Rather slender, fragile, probably unused to having full, proper meals, but she wears it easily and comfortably. Her age shows in her nervous eyes; probably still a student, then. A young female who knows of "Mr. Wilder" isn't exactly uncommon, anyway.

Under his heavy gaze, she ducks her head. "S-Sir, I have a boyfriend..."

"That so?" His eyes drift back to meet hers. "What a lucky man."

Lloyd rolls his eyes and reaches across the table to punch Zelos on the shoulder. "Dude, we're here to eat, you can do this on your own time."

"Hunny, that hurt!" Zelos whines, rubbing his arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you jealous."

"You're _such_ a jackass, you know that?"

The redhead grins. "Only one of my many nicknames. Let's order, then."

Lloyd gets a hamburger with fries and tells them to hold the tomatoes. The waitress shuffles closer to Zelos after she takes down Lloyd's order.

"W-Would you like to hear today's specials, sir?"

He looks up at her through his eyelashes. "If you have any fresh fish, I'd be interested in hearing about that."

The waitress ducks her head again. "A-Ah, we have some salmon and snapper left over, served with a rice pilaf side d-dish."

"The snapper sounds excellent, thank you." Aiming another smile at her, Zelos watches as she drops her pen. She scrambles to pick it up, nods, then scurries away.

When Zelos looks up, he finds Lloyd staring at him, brow furrowed in concentration.

"Can I help you?"

Lloyd chews on his bottom lip. "I dunno. If I asked for help, would you give me a straight answer?"

Zelos mirrors Lloyd's confused expression. "Are you doubting me? After I made you honorary hunny? That's a pretty high status, Lloyd, don't compromise it."

The brunet sighs. "I don't understand you at all."

"Well, don't hurt yourself thinking too hard about it, alright, hunny?"

"I think you enjoy that way too much."

"I don't think you enjoy it enough!"

As Zelos moves to lounge in his seat, the waitress approaches their table again.

"Ah, I'm terribly sorry, but I forgot to ask about drinks."

The boys exchange looks.

"Two beers, please," Lloyd says, holding up two fingers.

Exhaling loudly, Lloyd puts his hands together. "It's been a while since I've been able to just sit down and drink beer with another guy."

Zelos chuckles. "Yeah, bet Genis is just legal, isn't he?"

"Yep, turned eighteen a few months ago. We used to tease Presea about it all the time."

"Those two have a big age difference?"

"Not at all. Two years." Lloyd grins. "They've been dating for the last year and a half, so this last year's been the worst. Presea used to visit him at school and the halls would go dead silent 'cause all the kids were so scared of her."

The redhead gives a low whistle. "It's actually really conflicting how adorable and delicate she looks while at the same time she manages to scare the fuck out of me."

"It's a problem we all face at one point in our relationship with her, but you'll learn to get used to it, don't worry."

The waitress comes back and places their drinks on the table. Zelos gives her a quick once over and finds that her shirt has a few buttons undone. Her make up also looks fresh; her lips are now a bright red and her eyeliner has been touched up.

Smiling, Zelos reaches over just as the waitress moves to place his drink on the table. His fingers brush hers and her face lights up with a flush. He chuckles to himself as she gives them a quick nod before fleeing.

"See, I don't get that," Lloyd states, head in his hand, "Why do you do that? Is that fun for you or something?"

Zelos shakes his head slightly. He takes a sip of his beer. "Lloyd, are you honestly asking me this? A woman's love is a beautiful thing, and sometimes you can't get all of it, so you have to settle for earning bits and pieces of it when you can."

"That..." Lloyd's eyebrows draw together. "Somehow make a lot of sense? But-"

Clicking his tongue, Zelos wags a finger in front of Lloyd's face. "No buts. Don't try to question me. Which makes me wonder." He slides his elbows across the table, drawing closer to Lloyd. "Have you ever even been in a relationship with a woman, my dearest Lloyd?"

"You're so nosy, geez." Despite his words, the brunet averts his eyes. His neck starts to fill in with color as he continues, "But before you say anything, I'm just gonna say it. I have, for your information, been in a relationship."

"With a woman?"

Lloyd sighs, throwing up his hands. "Yes, with a woman."

Zelos grins and leans closer. "Oh really? Who was it? Do I know her?"

The blush has made its way to Lloyd's cheeks and ears now. "W-Well, you know a lot of women, so I guess so, I mean, probably-"

"Come on, you're killing me! Just tell me!"

Lloyd gulps down some of his beer. "I went out with Sh-Sheena about a year or so ago."

Silence falls upon the pair. Simultaneously they pick up their drinks and down the remaining contents.

Once the waitress arrives with their food, her movements slow as she looks back from Lloyd to Zelos. Neither of the boys make a move when she places their food in front of them.

"Um..." She readjusts the tray in her arms. Her mouth curls into a crooked smile. "Enjoy! Shall I get another round of drinks?"

They both nod. With one last glance, the waitress nods back and heads off.

Zelos plays with his empty bottle. "So... Sheena, huh?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Another moment of silence passes before a wide smile stretches across Zelos' face. "Alright, I'm gonna need details, and lots of 'em. But first, let's get some food in us for fuck's sake."

Lloyd makes a noise of approval and they tear into their food. Zelos has been pampered and is much too used to high quality food to really appreciate the dish in front of him, but damn if he isn't hungry. He scarfs it down without a word.

In a few minutes, both of their plates are empty. Lloyd sits back with a satisfied sigh. As he folds his hands on top of his stomach, he shoots Zelos a look with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think it's really my place to give you any details about my relationship with Sheena. But," he pauses to grin, "At least I have _something _over you. Not counting the fact that you're an idiot and a jackass."

"Wow, Lloyd. Wow. I am seriously hurt." Zelos rolls his eyes. "_You're_ calling _me_ an idiot? Now that doesn't make any sense."

"I'm just doing it in Sheena's place! The only reason you haven't been acting like usual is because you're not surrounded by girls."

The redhead falls silent. His eyes trail down to the table, where he examines the patterns of the wood for a moment. "Yeah, instead I'm spending my precious time with some thick-headed idiot waiter."

When Zelos looks up again, he finds Lloyd gazing at him with concern. It catches him off guard; he can't remember the last time he'd been on the receiving end of this type of stare.

"You sound like someone just killed your dog," the brunet says, "Even though you always act like you'd rather be fooling around with some girls, you're always at work or with us... Right? It's... I don't get you."

Zelos snorts. "I should take a shot every time you say that."

Lloyd's eyebrows draw together into a tighter line. "You're still not denying it."

Quirking a brow, Zelos crosses his arms over his chest. "I'd expect you to sound smug about that, but you just sound confused. Is it really that troubling?"

"I just wanna understand." Lloyd shrugs. "At least, sometimes. It's hard to believe that someone like you, as famous as you are, with no direct ties to anyone in our group, would want to keep... you know. Hanging out with us and stuff."

A small smile turns the corners of Zelos' lips. "You're cute, hunny."

"Wh-What?" Lloyd's eyes widen, but the expression is quickly replaced with a scowl. "Don't make fun of me, you ass. I'm being serious."

"No, it's a cute idea, is all. Don't sweat it so much."

When the waitress comes with their drinks, the pair looks up at her at the same time. She puts on a nervous smile and hands them their drinks. "Cheers!"

Exchanging amused glances, they clink their bottles together.

* * *

It's much darker outside when they step out of the diner. Zelos pulls out his phone and unlocks it as Lloyd steps into his personal space.

"Hey, that reminds me," he says, taking out his own phone, "Gimme your number."

Zelos raises his eyebrows. "That was blunt. Come on, I need some blushing and eyelash batting, let's go."

Lloyd gives him a shove. "I'll act like a girl if you treat me like one. Now gimme."

Chuckling, Zelos nudges him back. "Is that a challenge?"

"No, don't, it won't be pretty," Lloyd laughs, "C'mon, we can text and stuff, it'll be great."

The redhead hums, suppressing a smile as Lloyd taps his foot impatiently. "Mmn, alright, fine. You're one spoiled hunny, you know that?"

"Don't expect any kisses from me."

Zelos pulls up his contact list and shows his number to his companion. The brunet taps it into his phone, then flashes Zelos a bright smile.

"I'm gonna be showing this to everyone, just so you know," he states, taking quick steps backward. "I'll see you soon!"

"Hold your horses, I'm giving you a ride," Zelos says, catching Lloyd's wrist. "There we go, ease up, we're good."

The waiter tips back on his heel, then catches his weight at the last minute. He allows Zelos to right his posture, then swiftly slips his hand out of his grip. The grin on his face never fades.

"I bet you have an awesome car."

"Damn right I do."

He peers into the distance.

"Ah, there it is now. Ain't she a beaut?"

Zelos' sleek, black car rolls to a stop by the curb. Exchanging grins with Lloyd, Zelos opens the door and they tumble in together.


	5. Chapter 5

Within the past month, Zelos has found himself going to the teashop nearly everyday. Of course, with his busy schedule, he can't always make time to visit, but when that coveted lunch spot is free, even Sebastian doesn't ask where he's going. As the days pass, he realizes that lunch isn't the best time to visit, anyway; Colette is almost never present during the day, and stepping outside of his work building usually meant being swarmed by fangirls.

His next visit happens to take place during the day. Zelos secures his hair in a high ponytail and pushes the door open to the shop.

After scanning the room, his eyes land on a familiar face. There's something about the no-nonsense attitude etched into his brow and mouth that rings a bell...

"Mr. Wilder," the man in question says, snapping Zelos out of his reverie, "I see that you're doing well."

The redhead puts on his business smile and approaches the table. "Just dandy. Mr. Bryant, was it? President of Lezareno company."

"Regal will do," he replies with a nod. Gesturing to one of the seats in front of him, he continues, "Why don't you take a seat? Unless you're not in the mood for company."

"Nah, that sounds like a plan." Zelos takes the offered seat and lounges in it. "Since we're on first name basis, and all."

"I figured it would be the next logical step to take," Regal says with a smile. Then he looks over the redhead's shoulder in the direction of the door, holding up a hand. "Over here, Presea."

Zelos can't help the look of surprise that crosses his features. Whipping around in his seat, he looks up and finds the delicate strawberry blonde entering the tea shop. Once she arrives at the table, she levels a smile at him.

"Hello, Zelos," she greets in her usual near-monotone, "A pleasure to see you, as always."

He purses his lips. "You know, I can never tell whether you're serious or not."

"I can say the same to you."

With a whistle, Zelos settles back into his seat. "She's sharp."

Presea climbs onto the bench, filling up the space beside Regal. She gives his hand a pat. "It's been a while since we've been in such an intimate setting."

Chuckling, Regal takes Presea's delicate hand into his for a moment in order to give it a squeeze. Once he places it back on the table, he sighs quietly. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry I couldn't make any time to see you."

"It's not your fault," she says firmly, "...But we all miss you."

"So you mingle with the little people, too?" Zelos shoots Regal a questioning look. A smirk replaces his bemused expression as he adds, "Or do you really _mingle_ with the little people? I wonder how Genis feels about this."

"Zelos," Presea warns, "Don't."

"Geez, alright." Zelos shrinks in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "You really are threatening when you want to be, you know that?"

Regal clears his throat. "I'm afraid this subject is neither here nor there. Let's just enjoy lunch, shall we?"

* * *

"So you're saying that you've done work with his lumber factory," Zelos asks Presea, eyebrows furrowed tensely. "You, the tiny, delicate doll?"

Presea nods. "My daddy, he... he used to work there, so I wanted to take his place once he fell ill." Her downcast eyes told Zelos not to ask any further. "But... the real reason he knows me is... through my sister."

"Long story, huh?"

Presea nods again.

Zelos lets out a long breath. "Talk about complicated... Ah, well. No use in lingering on that topic, then!" He claps his hands and turns to Regal. "And I don't suppose you want to talk about work, right?"

The older man wears a small smile. When he hears Zelos address him, he shakes his head.

"Man, it's no fun to talk to a taken woman and some old geezer," the redhead says, leaning back in his chair. "Even my voluptuous hunny isn't here, and she owns the damn place!"

"No one's forcing you to be here," Regal points out. He moves to place his weight against the bench behind him. "That's not to say that we don't... appreciate your company, however."

"_Thanks_."

Blowing breath through his teeth, Zelos slips his phone out of his pocket. After the incident with Lloyd at the diner, his number ended up going around the group. As much as he loves the attention, he doesn't always have time to respond. This time, however, he decides to bug Lloyd first.

"_Where are you?_" He writes.

Regal clears his throat, though when Zelos looks up, he sees it wasn't to grab his attention. The large man stretches, then reaches into his pocket.

"It seems I must make my leave now," he says as he flips through some bills in his wallet. "I'll get this one, Zelos."

The redhead in question looks up in surprise. A smile breaks out on his features. "Aww, I'm so flattered. Thank you, Regal."

Regal quirks a brow at him before turning to Presea. "Thank you for your company."

She smiles up at him and leans in for a hug. They're such an odd pair, Zelos thinks, and the size difference only highlights that oddity. Nonetheless, they're cute in their own way. Zelos finds a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

He tries to shake it off as Regal stands.

"I'll see you around, Wilder," he says, inclining his head towards the ground. His face softens as he turns his gaze to Presea. "You too."

"Goodbye, Regal," Presea replies with a wave.

And with that, the president of Lezareno Company makes his leave.

Presea is sipping tea when Zelos returns hi gaze to her. She looks up at him over her cup.

"I guess I'm gonna go too," he says, heaving a sigh as he glances at his watch, "It's been fun. Goodbye, my delicate doll."

"I'll walk you out."

She tidies up their area a bit, stacking their places and cups. When she stands, she comes up to Zelos' chin.

"I do hope we're not being a bother with the texting," she says as they approach the exit, "Genis has been tempted to send you spam when he gets stressed."

Zelos chuckles. "Tell him if he dares to pull such a stupid stunt on the great Zelos, I'll have him destroyed."

"Is that so?"

"I'll pull him out of school and make him my personal slave," the redhead declares, grinning. Presea returns a fraction of his smile.

"That is indeed a dastardly plan."

When they step onto the sidewalk, they both adjust their outerwear. Zelos pulls his hair out of its tie and puts on his earmuffs while Presea zips up her coat. After dusting off her clothes, Presea moves to stand in front of Zelos and look up at him.

"I am... uncertain as to why you consistently visit us here," she starts, pausing to look at the space behind his shoulder. As Zelos cocks his head to the side, she returns her eyes to his. "But I don't think it's my place to try to understand. You should just remember that you're always welcome to spend time with us."

Zelos maintains her stare, chewing the inside of his cheek. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind." He grins. "Besides, you already know you're off limits, so don't worry. Alright, hunny?"

With a smile, Presea nods her head. "I understand." She steps away from him. "Goodbye, Zelos."

As she turns on her heel to depart, Zelos sighs and folds his hands behind his head. It's so strange that people keep wondering about his motives... Though, if he's honest about it, he's not entirely sure either. One of his rules is not to get too attached to people, but there's just something about this group that keeps pulling him in. To think it was a single hunny that got him ensnared in this mess is pretty damn ironic.

His phone vibrates in his pocket. Once he takes a look at his inbox, he passes over texts from acquaintances and opens the reply he received from Lloyd.

"_kendo class. my dads are a big part of it, so i help from time to time. miss me?_"

Zelos' eyebrows rise into his hairline. Two fathers?

But before he writes up a response, he speed dials Sebastian, hoping to escape the cold. It seems that the car was just around the corner; it pulls up in front of him in a matter of seconds.

As he settles into the leather seats, Zelos slouches and pulls out his phone. "_'Dad' plural? Do we need to have a talk?_"

Beep beep. "_lol you ass. ones my biological dad and the others my adoptive dad._" As an after thought, "_you didnt answer my question btw._"

"_Lloyd, please. Since when did I answer to you?_"

"_well you texted me first for once._"

"_Is that supposed to significant in any way?_"

"_a lot of questions being asked, not a lot being answered._"

"_You only had one question._"

"_youre a pain in the ass._"

"_Well, if you want it that way, I can have it arranged. Maybe Friday night?_"

"_im so confused lol_"

"_...You're no fun._"

"Master Zelos, we have arrived."

Sebastian's voice startles Zelos into an upright position. The car sits in the parking lot of his office building, and from this angle he can see the height of it looming over him, the face of it bleak and grey and boring. Sighing, the redhead combs his hair back with his fingers.

"_no fair! whatever, im definitely more fun than you._"

As he steps out of the car, he thumbs the screen of his phone. He makes his way to the washroom, his office clothes in a bag slung over his shoulder.

"_Is that a challenge?_"

"_lol i dont think i wanna go down that road with you._"

A smirk touches his lips as he buttons up his shirt.

"_Don't think you can win?_"

"_i dont think wed be doing the same race._"

Zelos sighs and leans against the stall door, already feeling confined in his suit. He decided to go without the tie, as usual, but nonetheless, he feels as if his breathing were suppressed.

"_I'm already well aware that I'm out of your league, but I'd play fair._"

"_still, i dunno..._"

Taking a deep breath, Zelos finally unlocks the washroom stall and makes his way towards his office. When he arrives, a stack of fresh papers waits for him there.

He settles into his leather chair. Ignoring those papers sounds like a very, very good idea.


	6. Chapter 6

"Excuse me!"

Zelos sidesteps a woman that bursts from the door to the teashop. Blonde hair billows past his face in waves.

"Ah, sorry, Zelos," she says, spinning on her heel to face him. With an apologetic smile, she continues to walk backwards. "Catch you later!"

"It's all good, but don't- Colette!"

In an instant, the woman is a mess of tangled limbs and long hair on the floor, muttering sounds of pain. Zelos rushes to her side as the bell above the teashop door jingles.

"I'm okay, I'm okay!" Colette says quickly. Zelos extends a hand to her and she takes it with a tight grip. She's light, delicate, and the redhead has no trouble lifting her up.

With a shaky breath, Colette begins to dust herself off. Zelos gets the places she can't reach on her own, and once they finish up, she smiles at him.

"Colette!" Lloyd exclaims, approaching them with hurried steps. He looks between Zelos and the clumsy woman before chuckling breathlessly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sorry, guess I'm too late. What did I tell you about running out of the shop, Colette?"

The blonde ducks her head. "Not to do it? Hehe." Once she looks up, she turns to Zelos. "Thanks for the help, Zelos! Now if I don't hurry, I'm going to be late."

Zelos begins to reach for his wallet. "I can get a taxi for you, if you'd like."

"Huh?" Colette stares at him for a moment, wide-eyed. When realization hits her, she shakes her head furiously. "No, no, it's okay! You've spent way too much money on us already, so please, Zelos, don't worry about me."

The leather wallet is already in his hand as Colette begins to move away from him. "I'm sorry! I'll see you later!"

Zelos stares at her back, watching her hair disappear into the distance.

A hand on his shoulder brings him out of his reverie.

"Don't worry about her, she'll be fine," Lloyd assures him. There's a gentle pressure in his grip, urging him towards the entrance to the tea shop. "Let's get some lunch, alright?"

* * *

"Are you sure she gets enough sleep?" Zelos asks, setting down his teacup.

Frowning, Lloyd deposits his chin into his hand. "To be honest with you, I don't really know. Sometimes she can't hide the shadows under her eyes, but otherwise... She's really good at hiding it. I don't know." His eyes linger on the table before meeting Zelos'. "She's always busy with volunteer work or school, and when she's not doing that, she's over here. It's insane, but none of us can talk her out of it."

Zelos feels himself mirror Lloyd's distraught expression. "Why? Why does she push herself so much?"

Lloyd shakes his head. "She's not satisfied unless she's doing something she thinks is useful. It's... I can't speak for her, and I'm not exactly a genius here, so I can't say I know."

Silence settles over them. Zelos recognizes Colette's smile, of course he does- it's the same one he wears everyday. A mask... But what is she hiding?

"But," Lloyd adds on, his hand clenching into a fist on the table, "I swear, I'll try my best to make sure she's happy. At least, I can try to make sure she doesn't collapse..."

"Hey, look- it's okay," Zelos says softly. The waiter across from him continues to frown, but he meets Zelos' gaze. "She's a fully grown woman, you know. I'm sure she can handle it."

Lloyd shakes his head slightly, averting his eyes. "I sure hope so..."

Zelos purses his lips. "I'll talk to her about it later."

"Alright..." The brunet shoots him a hopeless look, then sighs and brings his hands together. "Well, I trust that you'll take good care of her."

"Y... Yeah." As soon as he feels his eyes widen, Zelos regrets it. Grimacing, he tries to shake off his surprise. "Thanks... It's, uh. Been a good chat."

With a tired smile, Lloyd claps a hand to Zelos' shoulder briefly. "Yeah. Gotta clean up now, alright?"

Zelos nods and moves to help him. He goes through the movements automatically, not fully aware of his surroundings. It's been such a long, long time since he's heard such a sentiment aimed at him... His stomach twists into nervous knots at the thought.

Alright. It's time to put his resources to good use and find some info on his cute little angel.

* * *

Tonight, the moon hides behind clouds, shying away from the redhead waiting by the bus stop. Instead, his path is illuminated by a street lamp. His shadow stretches across the street, twice his size in length.

Zelos glances at his watch. She should be here soon.

The bus pulls up to the sidewalk with a quiet shudder. The engine coughs as it comes to a stop, the creaky doors revealing a bright angel. Colette stumbles onto the pavement, but regains her composure in time to give the driver her thanks.

As she turns, Zelos can see the exhaustion in her steps, the weight carried so carelessly. He hurries to her side and puts a hand on the small of her back to support her.

"Ah!" Even her sound of surprise is subdued. When her eyes meet Zelos', the tension eases from her shoulders. "Z-Zelos... This is unexpected!"

"Yeah. Feels like I've been blessed by the gods in this moment, greeted by a beautiful angel," he replies, voice low and, to his surprise, strangely sincere. The sound of it is foreign to his own ears.

With a blush, Colette attempts to draw herself into a straighter posture, but the effort proves to be too much. She leans against the redhead's shoulder and sighs.

"Thank you, Zelos," she murmurs, "But- what are you doing here? It's pretty late, you should probably head home soon!"

Zelos chuckles. "I could say the same to you, angel. You look worn out, what happened to you?"

"It's nothing!" She giggles, hiding her mouth behind a hand. "I just got back from some volunteer work. I'm sorry for making you worry."

"What, were you helping with the construction site downtown? There's no way you've just been 'volunteering'."

She bites her bottom lip. "No, they wouldn't let me help. I just came back from the animal shelter, that's all! Please, don't worry about me."

Her plea shoots through to his heart. He swallows a sigh and turns toward the bench by the bus stop. "Let's sit for a sec, alright? I'll give you a ride home after."

"Ah, but I wanted to stop by the tea shop for a bit-"

"Colette."

The force in his voice causes the blonde to look up. When their eyes meet, Colette deflates.

"Alright..."

Zelos guides her to the bench and they sit. He chooses to sit at the end of the bench, allowing Colette some space. However, she stays closer than he expects, the distance between them about the length of his arm. She fiddles with her fingers for a while, continuing to bite on her lip.

"I'm sorry," is the first thing she says, her voice tight, "I didn't mean to worry you, really! Did Lloyd say something about me? I swear that I'm alright, I promise!"

"Stop apologizing, please," Zelos replies with a wry smile, "Lloyd did mention something in passing, but you shouldn't underestimate me, hunny."

She nods. Her eyes fall back to the space between them. Zelos follows her gaze, steeling himself for the moment she returns his cautious stare. Once she does, they hold the others' gaze, Zelos' hands slowly curling into fists in his lap. It's like staring at a mirror, he finds, looking at his counterpart that chose to walk down the side of good rather than live the indulgent life that he clung to. They shared a certain exhaustion, carrying the weight of so many expectations and well-groomed self-hatred.

Colette reaches for his hand first. "Please, tell Lloyd not to worry about me," she says quietly, her voice just above a whisper, as if she were telling some dark secret.

"Even if I said something, he'd still worry about you," Zelos replies just as quietly. Their voices cut through the still darkness of the night nonetheless. "Hell, I bet everyone's worried. I'm worried, even more so now."

A small smile touches her lips. "But you understand... You understand me, right?"

"Yes." He squeezes her hand briefly. "The difference between you and I, however, is that you have people who genuinely care about you, even if you're not always the perfect angel you think you're supposed to be."

"People care about you, Zelos! I care about you, Lloyd cares about you, Sheena cares about you-!"

Zelos shakes his head. "You don't even know me."

"I..." Colette sets her mouth into a straight line. "Zelos..."

Chuckling, Zelos shakes his head. "Alright, alright, you win. But those other guys..."

"They can learn to love you, Zelos. They will, I know it!"

She leans forward and wraps her arms around his shoulders. "Maybe one day, we can... we can tell them."

"There's no guarantee they'll understand," Zelos mutters.

"I think... At least, they'll be happy that we shared."

The redhead hums his agreement. With a sigh, he finally returns her embrace.

"So what is it that you're inheriting, hunny?" he asks, resisting the urge to bury his face in her hair.

"My family runs this charity, Guardian Angel-"

"Really?" Zelos regards Colette with wide eyes. "I've done promos with them. That's actually a huge project."

The blonde smiles with a strange, foreign, and wry quality to it. "You don't think I know that already?"

"Right," Zelos laughs nervously, "Go on, my darling little angel."

"Well, you know it already. We do events all over the city, and we've just started to set up shop in the neighboring cities. As the organization gets bigger, we need more people to help out. It's a great cause and we're popular enough to keep things running smoothly, but we're starting to run short of hands because of the expansion- and now they expect me to give up on teaching so I can take my father's place."

"That's tough."

"I guess..." She sighs. "I don't want to disappoint them."

"Why don't they just hire someone else?"

"I don't know. It's like they think I'm destined to take his place."

"They should be grateful that you've even decided to help in the first place!"

Colette giggles. "You're getting pretty worked up about this."

"Sh-Shut up. You don't deserve to take anyone's crap, especially not from your own family," he grumbles, trying to fight the flush threatening to rise to his face. Almost as if to spite him, Colette pinches one of his warmed cheeks.

"Are you really in the right place to say that, oh Zelos the great?" she asks, smiling.

He huffs. "Let's not go there, hunny."

Colette shrugs. Slowly, she unwraps her arms from around his shoulders and stands. "It really is getting late, Zelos."

"I'll call my driver," the redhead says, joining her.

With a firm shake of her head, Colette loops an arm around one of Zelos'. "No, it's alright, I live a few blocks away from here."

"I'll walk you home, then."

"Such a gentleman, oh Zelos the great."

"If you're not going to say it properly, I'm afraid I'll have to limit your uses, angel."

She giggles and begins to lead him down the street. "I think that could work!"


	7. Chapter 7

It's a Saturday morning when Zelos sees snow fall for the first time that year. He sits on his bed, suppressing his shivers as he stares out the window.

Is it that time of the year already? His stomach rolls, making him groan. Normally, he would have booked a vacation or done a promotion in a warmer part of the country... It's been so long since he's spent the winter here.

His phone beeps at him from his night stand. He reaches over to grab it before collapsing on his back.

"_lets go skating!_"

"_If you're asking me on a date, hunny, you'll have to wait for me to make the first move._"

"_cmon, its the weekend and it snowed! we gotta do something wintery!_"

"_I'd rather not._"

"_not a huge fan of winter?_"

"_That's one way to put it, I guess._"

The brightness of the white snow glares at him through the window, taunting him. Zelos gets up to close his curtains before crumpling back onto his bed.

Lloyd's reply beckons to him, but Zelos just shoves it under his pillow. It is indeed the weekend and it did indeed snow; this calls for a day in bed.

* * *

The sun is on the horizon when Zelos rolls out of bed. His first thought is that he is _starving_. After that, he remembers his abandoned phone under his pillow.

"_Zelos! We're all going skating :) You're welcome to join us! The address is..._" is his first message, a text from Colette.

Sheena sent, "_Hey idiot. Lloyd and colette are wondering where you are. Come on its been a while since ive made fun of you. Get over here._"

Zelos chews on his lip. Man, these guys must actually like him; as to why, he doesn't have a single clue. He's not sure how to feel about that.

As he sifts through his inbox, he finds a whole string of texts from Lloyd.

"_come on, youve been busy with work, i havent seen you in a while. just come._"

"_zelos? dont leave me hanging!_"

"_fine, whatever. jackass._"

"_i know colette sent the address already, but i just wanna make sure you see it._"

"_you sure missed out on a lot. whatever youre doing now is probably really lame compared to the winter fun we just had._"

"_lets at least go for dinner?_"

The redhead draws himself out of the warmth of his bed and walks over to his closet. The wide array of clothes lie in wait, several shades of pink and red consuming a majority of the space. As he considers his choices, he dials Lloyd's number and holds his phone to his ear.

"Zelos? What the hell-"

The redhead shushes him. "You should be lucky that I'm even giving you the time of day on my coveted days off, hunny."

Lloyd snorts. "Do you think you're fooling anyone? I know you like hanging out with us."

"Think whatever you like. Anyway," Zelos leans against the door frame of his closet, "Dinner. I guess I owe you one, so I'm treating you. What do you feel like?"

"Uh. Well, hmm- Wait, are you inviting the others?"

With a yawn, Zelos replies, "Sure, if they want to come. As far as I know, you're the only one who was so deeply unsettled by my absence, so I don't feel as compelled to suck up to them."

"Shut up, jackass! I was not "deeply unsettled", it's just been a while, okay?"

"So are they coming or what?"

Lloyd grumbles under his breath. "I can talk to them, but we're all home already, so I dunno if they feel like getting together again for _your_ sake."

"Harsh. Yet at the same time, I feel oddly flattered. Wanna make a date of this, hunny?"

"You really have to stop calling me that."

"Considering how long I've persisted, I feel that it's kinda useless for you to even object at this point."

"Ugh, whatever." There's some shuffling on the other side, then the faint sounds of feet padding against a wooden floor. "I dunno, you can choose. I'm not dressing up for you, though."

"That's alright, I prefer it when my hunnies are comfortable."

"Yeah, yeah. It's not too cold, in case you're wondering. Don't come overdressed."

"I'm always overdressed compared to you."

"That's because you're a giant peacock."

"Hunny, you're gonna have to drop the "pea" in that sentence, then we'll really be rolling."

"I don't think being a giant cock is as good as actually having one."

Zelos suppresses a chuckle at that. "Well, you can find out, if you'd like."

"I guess it wouldn't be _too_ hard to ask to every woman in town about it."

"Ooh, ouch! You're getting better at this, hunny."

The smile on Zelos' face is starting to make his cheeks sore. He tries to shake it off as he continues to get dressed.

"I don't know if I should be thankful or not. Anyway, when are we gonna meet?"

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Sure. Wait, are you gonna pick me up from home?"

"...That's a good question." Zelos takes his phone from his shoulder and places it on his dresser, turning on the speaker phone. He turns his head so he can examine his features in the mirror in front of him. "You can give me an address and I'll pick you up from there."

"Uh, sure." Lloyd recites an address before his tone takes on a questioning note. "What are you doing?"

"Hmm?"

Zelos stares at his reflection, the brush in his hand stilling in his hair. Slowly, he finishes the motion and brings his hand down to his side. He hasn't been paying much attention to his actions; apparently, he'd been walking through the routine he usually follows in preparation for a date. His hair is gleaming, falling around his shoulders in waves, pushed up and out of his face with a white headband. His shirt has a few buttons open at the top, revealing a golden necklace with a red pendant in it. Maybe he is a bit overdressed.

"I said, what are you doing?"

"I had to put down my phone so I could brush my hair," the redhead replies. He puts down the brush next to his phone. "I have a lot of it, I'm sure you've noticed."

Lloyd laughs. "That is true. I guess I ought to get ready, then."

"Don't worry too much, you don't have to impress me, or anything."

"I feel so relieved."

"Don't get sassy with me, boy."

Lloyd snickers. "I think I prefer hunny to boy, to be completely honest with you."

A wide grin stretches Zelos' features. "Good! Maybe you can stop complaining about it, then. Starting to get on my nerves."

"You wish. Anyway, I think I should really get going. I'll see you!"

"Indeed you will. Byebye, hu-nny."

"Never again. Bye!"

The line falls dead. With a glance at the fading screen, Zelos sees that they'd been on the phone much longer than he would have anticipated.

He looks up at the mirror again. A shirt and jeans aren't too over the top, were they? Button-ups are a common part of his outfit; he likes to do them up or down, it depends on his company. His closet gets one more contemplative look before he raids it again. A cardigan shouldn't be so bad, and the weather calls for it, anyway.

* * *

Snow crunches under Zelos' feet. The layer is thin, but just the sight and feel of it makes the food, freshly consumed, in his stomach jump around.

When he looks up, he sees Lloyd balancing on the railing blocking off a kid's playground. In the dark of the night, the empty site emits an eerie vibe; swings move with the wind, clouds of snow mimicking the movement of children's feet as they danced about.

"I really don't know why you wanted to come out here so badly," the redhead sniffs, drawing his arms around his body.

"I dunno!" Lloyd's speech is interrupted by a burst of breath as he jumps in front of Zelos. He aims a bright grin at the redhead. "Don't you think it looks cool?"

Pursing his lips, Zelos scans the area around them. The playground is only a section of the park they occupy; there are several patterns of footprints making trails in the snow, as well as benches and sleeping trees. Street lamps light up their path, creating dimly glowing circles on the ground.

Eventually, he returns his gaze to Lloyd's. The excitement and joy in Lloyd's eyes settle his stomach a bit.

"I guess... Like I said before, I'm not a huge fan of winter," Zelos replies, fighting to keep his expression straight. As Lloyd's eyes start to take on a shade of concern, the redhead moves towards a bench. He sweeps off the snow obstructing the wood with the edge of his sleeve and takes a seat.

Lloyd moves to sit on the back of the bench, though he remains close by His body heat is very welcome to Zelos, who tries his best to suppress his shivering.

"You didn't have to come out here with me, you know," the brunet states after a moment of silence. He shifts his weight onto his hands. "Not that I don't appreciate the company."

Zelos has just enough energy for a few chuckles, though his voice shakes slightly from his shivering. "I owed you one. Since I ditched you guys and all."

"What were you doing, anyway?"

"Sleeping in." Just as he says that, he starts to yawn. "It's been a while since I've done that."

"Yeah, and it's also been a while since you've hung out with us."

The brunet moves besides Zelos. From this position, Zelos can't hide his shivers; his shoulder bumps Lloyds occasionally as he trembles.

"Geez, you look like you're freezing!" Lloyd exclaims, turning a wide-eyed stare on him. He grabs Zelos' shoulders as if to gauge his temperature. "We should probably get inside."

Zelos' teeth chatter, preventing him from responding. After clenching his jaw shut, Zelos succumbs to the cold and just nods.

"Here, geez," Lloyd mutters, drawing Zelos into his arms, "Not a winter person must be an understatement."

Embarrassment gets the best of him; Zelos can feel blood creep up his neck. It's the only heat his own body is giving him, much to his chagrin. Lloyd's body heat, however, is irresistible, and he finds himself huddling closer to the brunet.

"You're- You're so, s-so warm," he sputters, "How the- How?"

Chuckling, Lloyd ushers him back to his car. "I dunno, I've always had really warm hands and stuff. Got lucky, I guess."

With some reluctance, Zelos breaks free from Lloyd's hold and rushes to the driver's side of the car. He starts it immediately. His companion is snickering under his breath as he climbs into his seat.

"S-So where to now?" Zelos winces at his slip up, but he looks over at Lloyd anyway.

"Let's go to my place! We can have some hot chocolate with candy canes in them, I just bought some today," he replies, grinning widely.

Zelos raises a brow. "People do that? That's a thing that happens?"

"Yeah, it's awesome. Festive and peppermint-y."

Shrugging, Zelos puts the car into gear. "Alright, I'm game. Direct me, my good man."

"Well, here we are!" Lloyd cries, throwing open his front door. He steps in to allow Zelos the space to walk in.

His eyes immediately scan the place as soon as he enters. The room he's standing in is about as big as his bedroom, and it looks like it's at least half of the apartment. The part closest to him is the kitchen, containing a few countertops and a wooden table. Lloyd is currently occupying this space, leaning on his toes to reach a cupboard.

The next area beyond that has a couch covered in a few sweaters and an apron from the teashop. In front of that couch is a coffee table which is covered with a handful of teacups and game controllers. Sitting precariously on the edge of this table is a laptop, closed and plugged into an outlet beyond the television placed a few feet away.

Pictures and posters line the wall. Zelos can easily pick out the regulars from the teashop, including Regal and Raine. He approaches a large, group photo, hands in his pockets and defrosting.

"Here," Lloyd says, holding out a mug. His voice startles Zelos out of his reverie, causing the redhead to spin on his heel and find a grinning Lloyd to his side.

The curve of a candy cane sits on the edge of the cup. Carefully, Zelos takes the warm ceramic into his hands, peering into the contents as he does so.

"It's not gonna bite," Lloyd laughs. "Come on, let's sit down."

Lloyd retrieves his own cup from the table before moving to plop down on the couch. Zelos stares at the back of his head for a moment, then moves to set his cup down so that he can remove his damp jacket.

The two blow at the tops of their mugs to cool the hot chocolate down. They sit shoulder to shoulder, much like at the park. Lloyd's warmth is comfortable, welcoming, even without the bitter cold chasing Zelos into Lloyd's personal bubble. The atmosphere in the small, cozy apartment is surprisingly pleasant, whereas Zelos initially imagined it would have been quite cramped.

Lloyd chuckles, breaking the silence. "I just realized that I have a millionaire sitting in my tiny apartment."

"Millionaire? Who are you talking about?" Zelos grins. "Oh yeah, that's right. Me."

Lloyd's laughter only grows in volume. "I have a millionaire sitting in my tiny apartment drinking _hot chocolate_ with a damn candy cane in it. This is ridiculous."

"Who would have thought, huh?"

Eventually, their laughter dies down enough to allow them to take a sip of their beverages. Having deemed the hot chocolate cool enough, they both take bug gulps.

"This is actually better than I expected," Zelos comments once he puts down his mug. "Never really thought of peppermint hot chocolate."

"Never really pegged you as a hot chocolate kinda guy, Zelos."

Zelos snorts. "That's because I'm not. This is pretty fitting for tonight, though, so I'll let it slide."

"Good! I'm glad," Lloyd replies, settling further into the couch cushions. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

Making an amused sound, Zelos mimics his companions' actions. "You know what would make my night, though?"

"Yeah?"

"If I got to see your bedroom," the redhead finishes, watching Lloyd's face for his reaction. He's only slightly disappointed when Lloyd sends him a puzzled look.

"What?" Lloyd quirks a brow. "That's it?"

"What do you mean, 'that's it'? A man's bedroom is like the portal to his soul."

"Is that so?"

"Yep!" Zelos claps his hands together. "You can see how he really works by the way he sets up his most private and intimate living space."

"Huh." Lloyd casts a glance at a door beside the entrance to the apartment. "I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah, well, I doubt you do very much thinking in the first place."

Exclaiming indignantly, Lloyd gives Zelos a shove. With that done, he stands, then makes a grab for Zelos' wrist. "Come on, let's go, jackass."

"Touchy, touchy!" Despite his words, Zelos grins and lets himself get dragged along.

They move to the room by the front door, where Lloyd holds the door open for his companion.

The first thing Zelos thinks is that the room is a lot tidier than he would have expected. The space outside the bedroom is definitely messier in comparison. That's not to say it was empty, however; even more posters and photos cover the walls, every inch of them. This time, Zelos takes note of a few pictures Lloyd's in with two older men; his fathers, perhaps?

Zelos takes a cautious step into the room. There's a single bed pressed against the corner in the back of the room, flanked by a night stand At the foot of the bed is a dresser, and in the corner opposite to the bed is a wardrobe. A few clothes are strewn over the dresser and the foot of the bed.

A picture frame and an alarm clock sit on the nightstand. With slow steps, Zelos approaches it in order to examine the photo. It contains a very young boy, probably Lloyd, with a smiling woman and one of the older men in Lloyd's other photos.

Creaking behind him tell Zelos that Lloyd has taken a seat on the bed. "So, yeah, this is my room. It must be, what, a third of your bedroom?"

"A quarter, actually," the redhead replies absently. "This is adorable, is this little tyke you?"

"Yeah..."

Zelos turns to send Lloyd a wide eyed look. "You okay?"

Lloyd shrugs. "Yeah, I'm fine. It just hit me how long ago that picture was taken."

Standing his ground, Zelos looks from the picture and back to Lloyd. "Yeah?"

The brunet smiles, lowering his head. He pats the spot beside him on the bed, a clear invitation for Zelos to join him. With some hesitation, Zelos accepts, climbing onto the small bed. The two grown men took up at least two thirds of the space, and they were only sitting shoulder to shoulder.

"I think it's been twenty-two years? I was three when that was taken." Expressive eyes out of sight, Lloyd gathers his legs so that he can rest his head on top of them. "Twenty-two years since mom died..."

Zelos' breath catches in his throat. "Lloyd-"

"No, it's okay, I'm fine." The brunet presses his cheek against his knee, turning his head to look at his companion. "I think I understand what you mean now, though."

"About what?"

With a chuckle, Lloyd responds, "About a man's room being the portal to his soul."

Zelos hums in agreement. Folding his hands together, he lowers his head as well. "I'm sorry if I- you know. Imposed or anything."

"No, no, it's fine. I like hanging out with you and stuff." A sigh interrupts his speech as he moves to stretch out his legs. "You know, you're probably closer to my age than Genis is, and I don't really want to bother him when he needs time to study. Sheena's great, but I can't always spend as much time alone with her any more, and Colette's always busy, so..."

"I see..." Zelos allows himself a small smile. "Yeah. I love to spend time with my hunnies, give them my love and such."

Lloyd's mouth curls into a half-smile. "And I guess that means me?"

"Of course!" Grinning, Zelos slings an arm around Lloyd's shoulder. "Besides, doing some charity work is always good for my image."

"Wow, thanks," Lloyd replies, rolling his eyes.

At this point, Zelos isn't sure if he should keep his arm on Lloyd's shoulders or not. Something about the intimacy of this situation is raising some red flags in his head... some very familiar red flags. Is this even the first time they've come up?

Lloyd sighs and leans into Zelos' touch. "It's getting late, isn't it?"

As Zelos' stomach churns, he decides that no, this can't be the first time these red flags have come up. Apparently, he's been ignoring them every time they decided to show their stupid faces. His fingers twitch against Lloyd's chest before he finally pulls his arm back to his side.

"Yeah." Zelos stands and stretches. "I guess I ought to get home."

The bed creaks again as Lloyd moves to stand beside Zelos. "Yeah. Don't freeze on your way home, alright?"

"I'm a grown man, I can handle myself."

Lloyd raises his eyebrows. "Right."

Pouting, Zelos says, "Hunny, you're so mean to me."

As Lloyd moves to open the door for his companion, he rolls his eyes. "It's called tough love, Zelos."

A sly grin stretches Zelos' features as he puts on his coat. "Are you saying that you love me, hunny?"

"What?" Lloyd's ears turn a warm shade of pink. "Well-"

Laughing, Zelos gives him a small shove on the shoulder. "You don't have to aswer that. I'll see you."

"Uh?"

Before he opens the door, Zelos catches Lloyd's eyes with his. He maintains the stare, amused by Lloyd's shocked expression, as he moves into the hallway outside.

"Yeah," Lloyd says after a moment, smiling through his confusion, "I'll see you."

Returning the smile, Zelos gives Lloyd a quick salute and heads out.


	8. Chapter 8

It's about ten in the morning when Lloyd enters the tea shop. Half of the lights are off and, while it's warmer than it is outside, it's still pretty chilly. He finds Sheena nursing a tea cup as she sits huddled in the corner of the shop, alone at the table by the window they usually occupy.

"Hey, you okay?" Lloyd asks, letting the door close behind him.

For a moment, Sheena looks startled, as if she isn't expecting the presence of a co-worker before opening. Once her surprise falls away, she nods.

"I'm fine, I've just been thinking," she replies quietly, her voice just above a murmur. "About- you know, the business."

"This place?"

Lloyd moves to sit beside her. She shuffles closer to him, seeking his warmth.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm happy to take over the family business, it's not like it's bad money and I can handle it," she explains, staring at the contents of her teacup, "But what if- what will I do when you guys move on? It's not like you or Colette will be servers forever."

"Aww, Sheena." Frowning, Lloyd gathers his friend into his arms, putting his chin on her head. "We're not gonna leave you. You're not a person we can just 'move on' from."

Sheena snorts. "Really? You're the one saying that?"

"What, you don't believe me?"

Grumbling under her breath, Sheena shakes her head. "Never mind, that's not what I meant. Anyway, you can't be sure that you won't find something better, something far away from me and the tea shop, and then I'll never see you guys again."

"Sheena..." Lloyd gives her a squeeze. "I'd never cut you out of my life like that, you mean too much to me. You know that." Sighing, he presses his cheek to her hair. "I'm sorry that these thoughts haunt you."

"It's not your fault, I'm just being stupid..."

"No, you're not." Lloyd pulls away to look her in the eye. "I promise, even if I find work outside of here, I'll always keep in contact with you. I'll call you whenever I can, visit whenever I can, and we'll always be friends. Okay?"

With a nod, Sheena buries her face in Lloyd's shoulder. "Okay... I trust you to keep your word, alright?"

"Thanks."

They sit in silence for a while. The other half of the lights flicker on in the mean time; one of Sheena's family members must have turned it on. The heater also makes a sound of protest as the tea shop comes to life around them.

"So how's Zelos doing?"

For a brief moment, Lloyd's shoulders stiffen. "He's fine, as far as I know."

Sneaking a glance up at Lloyd, Sheena smirks. "I heard you had dinner with him the other day."

"Who told you?"

"Colette, of course."

With a sigh, Lloyd says, "I don't know what's going on with that guy."

"I don't know what's going on with you, Lloyd." Sheena puts some distance between herself and Lloyd so she has room to examine his face. "Ditching us for him? Is that how it's gonna be?"

"W-Well-" Lloyd ducks his head as his ears start to turn red. "That's- I mean, I didn't mean to-"

Sheena laughs, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm just teasing. Colette and I have a little theory we're cooking up, and you just gave us some evidence."

Slowly, the blush spreads to his cheeks. "Uh oh. This doesn't sound good."

"Don't worry, we won't be asking any questions if you don't give us a reason to," Sheena says, grinning widely.

The brunet takes a deep breath, averting his eyes. "I just... He's really growing on me. It's weird, I don't really know how to explain it. All I know is that I just want to spend more time with him, he keeps sneaking up on my thoughts and..." Clenching his eyes shut, Lloyd shakes his head. "I don't want to think about what it all means. I mean, he's a guy. I'm a guy. Even though he calls me his hunny, I don't know how I should take that."

"I never took you as the kind of person to let gender get in the way of that sort of thing."

"Well... Me neither," Lloyd responds, his entire face engulfed in his deep, red blush, "But- it's Zelos. You know him."

The corners of Sheena's mouth curl into a wry smile. "Do I now? Compared to you?"

With a strangled sound, Lloyd buries his face in his hands. "Don't do this to me, Sheena..."

Giggling, though Lloyd thinks of it more as cackling, Sheena ruffles Lloyd's hair. "Well, one of us has to. You'll have to address this issue eventually." She wraps her arms around him. "But remember that we'll always be here to support you, okay?"

Lloyd hums and buries his face in the crook of Sheena's neck. "Thanks."

She gives him a squeeze. "What are friends for?"

* * *

Upon entering the tea shop, Zelos almost immediately feels the need to turn around and leave. Christmas decorations cover the walls, and even the ceiling; rows of tinsel, cut out snowflakes, and tree ornaments surround him, blinking softly under the lights. In the corner of the shop near the counter is a fake Christmas tree.

"Hey, idiot," Sheena greets him, decked out in a red version of her uniform and a santa hat, "You look like you're about to have a heart attack."

Zelos opens his mouth to reply, but he chokes on his own spit. Once he calms down, he sends Sheena a withering look and says, "I hate Christmas."

In response, she gives him a big grin. "We have extra santa hats in the back, would you like one?"

With a glare, Zelos starts to turn around, but he's stopped as Sheena puts her hands on his shoulders. She drags him in, directing him to their usual table.

"Who would have thought we'd have our own Scrooge for Christmas this year," she says with a smile, taking a seat next to him on the bench. With a yawn, she sits back, her arms draped along the edge of the back of their seat.

Quirking a brow, Zelos gives Sheena a sideways glance. "On your break?"

"Yeah. It's been a while since we've had, you know," she pauses to gesture at her chest, then to his, "A heart to heart... sort of thing."

Zelos chuckles. "It sounds like I'm in for a lecture."

"Wh- Hey!" Sheena's mouth pulls into a straight line. "Well, it's better than letting you go on about girls or something."

"Hunny, sweetheart, I would never talk about another girl around you." A wide grin spreads across his face. "You know I'm much smarter than that."

"Yeah, well." Lounging now, Sheena sends Zelos a glance. "I think we need to have a talk about a hunny, but- the one that's not a girl."

"That was real smooth, Sheena."

A blush blossoms in the waitress' cheeks. "Shut up! This is serious, so will you just get yourself together for a few minutes?"

Zelos' face falls into a carefully blank expression. Is word going around that his relationship with Lloyd is developing in an interesting way? His hands betray him and begin to fiddle nervously with the hem of his sweater.

"Yeah, alright. Lay it on me, Sheena," Zelos says, shooting her a sideways glance, "What's this heavy business you got for me?"

Sheena's eyes widen slightly. However, she turns her head away almost immediately after. "Well, you know. We've all been friends for a long time and we almost never see Lloyd act this way. It's only really happened one other time..." Her cheeks begin to fill with color. "Um. I don't know if you've heard, but he and I were in a relationship once, so- so I would know what's up."

"That's true," Zelos mumbles, mostly to himself. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth; he should have anticipated that. A confrontation about Lloyd wasn't really something he was looking forward to, but at least it's Sheena he's dealing with and not someone else.

The waitress shifts her weight in her seat. "A-Anyway, the point is- I'm just a bit worried. You better not be playing him, or I swear to god, I will kill you."

"Hey, calm down." Zelos smiles wryly. "You think I planned this? I had no intention of playing Lloyd, or even becoming so- involved." He pauses to shrug. "It's just something that happened. I don't know how, so don't ask me why."

Sheena meets his gaze, that look of surprise making a comeback. "That was a more honest response than I was expecting."

"Well, like you said, you're the expert in the 'Lloyd relationship' subject- I don't think there was really a point in beating around the bush." With a sigh, Zelos deflates a bit. "Though I guess since you all know him better than me, lying isn't really an option."

Scoffing, Sheena crosses her arms over her chest. "Well, you shouldn't really be considering it in the first place."

"Yeah, well." Zelos' brow furrows. "Wait a second, why are you even talking to me about this? Did you say that Lloyd has been acting like a blushing school boy or something?"

"Well, not in those words exactly, but the Lloyd equivalent, I guess," Sheena replies with a small smile. "Did this just occur to you?"

Zelos can't help the smile that stretches his lips. "Shit, I guess it did. Damn."

The waitress whistles. "Look at you, lover boy."

Shaking his head, Zelos shifts his weight onto the table. His smile has been replaced with another carefully blank expression, though the slight knot in his brow displays his distress. "Look, it wasn't supposed to be this way. I don't do this, okay, I'm not-"

Sheena touches his shoulder, shushing him. "I know, I know. You're the casual sort of guy, right? But- This is Lloyd. You're in good hands."

Zelos can't think of a good response to that.

Satisfied, Sheena stands and stretches. "Well, I've got to get back to work. Should I get you the usual?"

The redhead crumples in his seat and nods.

"Hey, cheer up, oh Zelos the great," Sheena says, working in some honest good will, "This sort of thing happens to everyone who meets Lloyd. I guess that it's both a blessing and a curse that you've gone down this particular road with him." She turns on her heel and heads towards the kitchen. "Merry Christmas."

Zelos heaves a sigh as he pulls out his phone. A new text from Lloyd. Cursing himself, he unlocks his phone and starts on a reply.

"_hey, we're doing kris kringle and i was wondering if you wanted to join us?_"

"_So what, like a secret santa dealie?_"

"_yeah, exactly! what do you say?_"

"_Yeah, sure, why not. It won't hurt my budget any._"

"_lol yeah. we're picking names tonight, so come to the teashop after hours._"

"_Sounds good. See you, then._"

* * *

The Christmas decorations filling the tea shop aren't any easier on Zelos' eyes the second time around. They seem to shine even brighter in the artificial light that cuts through the darkness of the late evening.

"Zelos!" Lloyd greets him, wearing a bright grin. He's also wearing a santa hat and a red version of his uniform, and it invokes a vague feeling of homesickness in Zelos' stomach.

"Hey, hunny," Zelos replies smoothly, returning Lloyd's grin with a wry smile, "You guys seem to be missing the most crucial Christmas decoration of all."

"What, mistletoe?"

Zelos turns and finds Genis raising a brow. "You're disgusting," he adds, shaking his head.

To his side, Lloyd starts chuckling. "Dude, I think the chances of kissing a guy in here are too high, I don't think you'd want mistletoe around."

"Yeah, but I'd also get a chance at my voluptuous hunny over here," Zelos states. He slings an arm around Lloyd's shoulders and steers him towards their usual table. "I think it might just be worth it."

Lloyd laughs again. "Alright, I'll see about getting some mistletoe, then."

Sheena rolls her eyes as Colette giggles beside her. The whole gang is present; Sheena sits at the end of the table, Colette to her side, then Raine and Genis. Presea sits on the end of the table, holding Genis' hand on the surface of the table, with Regal on her other side. Lloyd takes the seat next to Regal, leaving Zelos with the space in front of Sheena.

"I've got the names here!" Colette declares, pulling out a bag from under the table. With a squeak, she drops its contents onto the table.

"Hey, I've got it, don't worry," Sheena says with a chuckle. She and Lloyd hurry to gather the slips of paper together and replace them into the bag.

Once everything's set up, Lloyd turns to Zelos and says, "Since this is your first time with us, I think you should go first."

"Of course, the most important people get priority," Zelos replies, reaching for the bag. Sheena slaps his wrist as Lloyd pulls the bag away.

"On second thought..." Lloyd trails off, grinning. Zelos pouts.

"Aww, don't tease me like that, hunny," the redhead whines, drawling his nickname for Lloyd. A few groans arise from the table.

"Get a r-!" Genis is cut off by Presea's hand on his mouth. The glares he receives from his sister and Sheena make him wither in his seat.

"Fine, fine, fine, c'mon, I'll stop."

Lloyd exchanges a look with Sheena, then offers the bag back to Zelos.

He fishes around the bag for a few moments. As people around the table start to emit exaggerated sighs, Lloyd punches Zelos' shoulder. Grinning, Zelos finally removes his hand from the bag.

When he reads his slip, his shoulders tighten. Looks like he's stuck with the runt...

The rest of the table retrieve their slips quickly, eager to find out who they were assigned to. They all look fairly content with the results, though Sheena and Colette exchange amused looks.

"Alright," Raine calls out, causing everyone to quiet down almost immediately, "We've settled on a budget of twenty-five to thirty-five dollars, right?"

A chorus of agreement responds to her almost immediately.

"Excellent." Smiling, she sits back. "Is anyone up for a late dinner, then? I'm starved."

As the group moves around to help Sheena retrieve food from the kitchen, Zelos turns to face Lloyd. He catches the waiter staring at him. With a grin, he watches as a bright blush rises to Lloyd's cheeks.

"H-Hey, man," Lloyd says, his voice nearly cracking, "What's up?"

Zelos pokes him on the nose. "Nothing. I'm hungry. Let's get food?"

A wide grin stretches Lloyd's features. "Yeah, let's go!"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I'm a bit rusty, so please pardon me. I hope to get this fic back on track soon! Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

An unwanted side effect of staying for winter that Zelos hasn't anticipated is holiday related business. He's almost always away once December rolls around; the other people in his department are ecstatic to have him at home for once. Zelos' fanbase is a lot larger at home, only because he can interact with them on a more regular basis, so the expected business is off the charts.

The two weeks before Christmas are booked before Zelos can have a say in anything. He's set up to participate in three charity events and promote two new Christmas sales.

Ignoring Lloyd's calls and texts is definitely the hardest part; he's usually so good at responding, he almost prides himself in it. But Zelos is swamped with conference calls and ass-kissing in order to land crucial dates for public events, and by the end of the day, all he wants to do is sleep.

On the fifteenth of December, about nine days before their Christmas shindig, Zelos is out on stage decked out in full winter gear, trying his damnedest not to shiver too noticeably. A large crowd buzzes in front of him, excited to hear the details of the limited-time blow out sale. He finds it strange, really, that so many people would be interested in the sale of furniture and other practical items, but then again, who wouldn't want to see his face?

Zelos grimaces. What a fucking farce.

As he clears his throat and puts in his final effort to cease his shivering altogether, Zelos scans the crowd. While he can recognize certain faces and figures from time to time, there has never been a moment where Zelos could recognize a member of the crowd.

Zelos almost chokes on his spit when his eyes land on Lloyd. Their eyes lock immediately and a wide smile spreads across Lloyd's lips.

"You got this," he mouths, giving Zelos a thumbs up. The redhead rolls his eyes.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" Zelos greets the crowd, drawing their attention.

He launches into his speech with his best brand of faked enthusiasm, wearing his usual charming smile. Although the cold makes his body stiff, he gets through the presentation without making a fool of himself.

The crowd claps when he finishes. Zelos can't fathom why, but he bows nonetheless, ending it with a flourish.

He directs him to the other members of his team for questions and walks off the stage. His fangirls clamor behind him, but he dodges them and hides behind the stage equipment.

"Hey."

Zelos nearly jumps out of his skin. Lloyd just laughs at him.

"How the hell did you get here?" the redhead asks, resuming his journey away from the stage.

"You're pretty easy to track, you know," Lloyd replies, stepping into place beside him, "You are a peacock, after all."

Zelos hums in response.

"Hey, listen," Lloyd says, bumping Zelos' shoulder with his own, "Let's grab drinks."

"Mmn? Don't you think it's a bit early?"

"Shouldn't be early at my place."

Zelos whips his head around to face his companion, his eyebrows rising into his hairline. "You're joking."

Grinning, Lloyd loops an arm around one of Zelos'. "C'mon, I'll drive."

* * *

Lloyd looks down at the redhead dozing in his lap and chuckles quietly to himself. His head is light, the room isn't exactly straight, but his current object of affection is sleeping right on top of him, preventing him from making any sort of progress.

With some effort, he fishes his phone out of his pants pocket.

"_hey collette you wont believe what jus hap pended_" he texts. His vision shakes slightly, but he treks on.

"_Is everything alright?_" Her response comes within seconds.

"_yeahh everythigns pefrect! me and zelos were drinkingg., it was great. hes sleepping now tho._"

"_Lloyd, it's only 6:00. Do you need me to come over?_"

"_nonono, don;t worry, wel'l be fine. really._"

"_Well, alright. Text me again if you need me, okay?_"

"_promose! byebye colettee 3_"

Lloyd's phone tumbles out of his fingers and onto the floor. Swearing under his breath, he reaches for it, but Zelos' head on his lap prevents further movement. He whines quietly, then settles back with a sigh.

The redhead dozing in his lap is irresistibly adorable. His hair falls in waves over Lloyd's thighs and onto the floor, perfect, silky locks of ruby. Although Lloyd tries to resist the urge, he can't help himself; he begins to run his fingers through Zelos' hair, an easy, relaxing movement.

Listening to Zelos' steady breathing and going through the comforting gesture of running his fingers through siky strands bring Lloyd's eyelids to a close. Everything is quiet, and the warmth emanating from his companion's body is simply too cozy. Eventually, Lloyd finds himself falling asleep as well.

* * *

Zelos wakes up slowly, his surroundings hitting him one sense at a time. It smells unfamiliar, it's much too quiet, he feels too comfortable to be normal... Once he opens his eyes, he recognizes just why things feel so strange.

It seems he's landed himself back in Lloyd's apartment. His head is situated in the brunet's lap, a stray hand locked in his hair. If he tries to move, Lloyd shifts so that he is forced to stop.

It leaves him with no choice but to enjoy their proximity while he can. Zelos can't help but feel a slight twinge of guilt, however. As fun as drinking can be, Lloyd's not exactly amazing at holding his liquor, and he doesn't want the brunet to be making any rash decisions. For instance, letting them share such an intimate position. At least he didn't force Lloyd's hand into his hair...

But would this relationship ever move past a crush? They've only known each other for a few months now, and there's no guarantee that Lloyd won't just suddenly realize that Zelos isn't all that great or worth any of his time.

Lloyd's fingers move in his hair again. Zelos looks up at the younger man and sees that his eyes are twitching, perhaps struggling to open.

Sighing inwardly, Zelos decides that maybe _he_ should have a little bit of faith.

The waiter mumbles something incoherent, using his free hand to rub at his eyes. When he tries again, he croaks, "Time is it?"

Zelos takes this opportunity to slowly inch away from Lloyd's thighs. "Here, lemme check."

"Alright."

Fingers move against Zelos' scalp, slow and quizzical, then quickly dart away. Chuckling, Zelos finally sits up, his hands digging into his pockets for his phone.

"S-Sorry about that," Lloyd murmurs, folding his hands together in his lap, "I-"

"Here," Zelos interrupts, holding up his phone so that Lloyd can see the clock on the digital display.

"It's later than I thought." Lloyd blinks, fighting back his sleepiness, as well as the blush seeping into his neck.

"Yeah."

They hold each other's gaze until Lloyd grins his wide, infectious smile. Zelos can't help himself and grins back.

"Hey, uh- Thanks for this," Zelos says, "I mean- You really didn't have to. I generally don't invite you guys to those stupid promos because they're pointless and boring as hell."

"Well, it was interesting to listen to you speak," Lloyd replies, "You're really good at that."

The redhead chuckles. "I get paid for it, I have to be good at it."

"Isn't it usually the other way around?"

Zelos shrugs. "Does it matter?"

"Guess not."

Silence settles upon them as Zelos stares at his lap. He can feel Lloyd's gaze on him, can practically hear his name on Lloyd's tongue as the younger man attempts to find something to say. The tension in Lloyd's body gives his nervousness away; Zelos would be amused if he wasn't so nervous himself.

"Zelos-"

Lloyd is interrupted by Zelos' ringtone. The redhead raises his head and exchanges a look with his companion, guilt pooling in his stomach once he lays eyes on the disappointment in Lloyd's expression. Hesitation slows his hand's journey to his pocket, but he can't stand the silence any longer.

The name on the display screen belongs to one of the men in his department. If he doesn't pick up now, he'll keep calling until Zelos turns his phone off.

"Sorry," Zelos mumbles, standing.

"Ah-" Lloyd stands up too, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's okay! Don't worry about it."

Working a sheepish smile onto his face, Zelos answers the phone. He keeps his answers curt and to the point before hanging up. With a sigh, he pockets his phone and returns his gaze to Lloyd's.

"New set of paper work to do," the redhead says, "I need to be back in the office soon."

"Oh." Lloyd bites his lip, the action catching Zelos' eye until he continues, "I can- drop you off! Since I drove you here and all."

Zelos leans in and ruffles Lloyd's hair. "Hunny, the offer's sweet and all, but you do know I have a personal driver, right? Don't worry about it."

"But-!" Lloyd cuts himself off and eventually gives a slow nod.

"Good."

Once Zelos' eyes meet Lloyd's again, he's tempted to lean in further and close the distance between their lips. Lloyd seems to be inching towards him as well, eyes still a bit heavy with sleep, lips slightly parted to let out warm puffs of air.

Zelos gives Lloyd a firm pat on the shoulder. As a second thought, he gives it a squeeze as well.

"This was fun," Zelos says, his smile soft, "I'll see you around."

It takes a few moments for Lloyd to process his companion's words before he nods. "Yeah!" Lloyd returns the smile with one of his wide grins. "Yeah. I'll- text."

With a chuckle, Zelos takes a step back. If he hadn't, he's sure he would have planted a kiss to Lloyd's cheek at the very least. Once he feels that he's at a safe distance, he gives a wave to the brunet, then moves towards the door.


End file.
